Submarine laser project awarded to QinetiQ

Fairfax, VA--The U.S. Defense Department has awarded QinetiQ North America a contract to develop a blue laser communications system. The DARPA contract is worth $31.8 million and involves development of a blue laser system for covert communications between a submarine and aircraft flying overhead. The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded the contract under its Tactical Relay Information Network (TRITON) program. DARPA has schedule a live assessment test of the laser system for a naval exercise in 2012.

Submarine communications have always been a challenge because radio waves can't penetrate sea water. Ultra-low frequency electromagnetic waves have been used but are a slow method of communicating, and other options such as submarines briefly surfacing or the use of towed antennae compromise the ability of the vessel to remian stealthy. However, blue and blue-green laser wavelengths can penetrate sea water so offer the potential of improved submarine communications. DARPA has developed blue solid-state lasers and cesium atomic line filters (ALFs) to produce emission at 455 nm and 459 nm and believes that the major component technologies are mature enough to develop an operational defense system.

QinetiQ is already working on a blue-laser communication system. Its Submarine-Enabling Airborne Data Exchange and Enhancement Program (SEADEEP) has already demonstrated communications through the air-water interface equivalent to data rates available with wideband Internet communications at home, according to the company.

Under Phase 1 of the new TRITON program, which runs until September 2011, the first milestones include development of multiple blue laser transmitter modules and cesium ALFs. These are due in April 2011, with development of the laser uplink and downlink laser systems and receivers running in parallel. Final prototype system checks are due by October 2011, after which Phase 2 will involve focusing on system installation, with a laser transmitter on both the submarine and the communicating aircraft.

By program completion, DARPA and the Navy are expecting a clear demonstration of the maturity of key laser technology components and its performance as a future operational system, says DARPA in its Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the TRITON program. The key event in this BAA is participation in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 Fleet Exercise in June 2012.